EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – A century
after 1st Lt. Alfred A. Cunningham took his first
flight in 1912, Marine Corps aviation introduced
the F-35B Lightning II aircraft into its fleet. The
short takeoff vertical landing variant combined
with fifth generation capabilities is a breakthrough in itself, matching the importance of the
first Marine aviator and starting a new chapter in
Marine Corps aviation history.
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 hosted the ceremony
inducting the F-35B Lightning II multirole, joint
strike fighter, into the Marine Corps aviation arsenal at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Friday.
LANCE CPL. ANDREA CLEOPATRA DICKERSON

Master Sgt. Jason Vernam, an aircraft maintenance chief with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 (Forward),
kisses his daughter, Jaydin, while also embracing his son, Jansen, outside the Training and Education building at
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point after returning from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan. “Being able to
talk to my family on Skype and over the phone made the deployment go very smoothly,” he said. “Now that I’m back,
we have to catch up on hugs, kisses and swimming.”

U.S. Representative Jeff Miller (FL-1), Assistant
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen.
Joseph F. Dunford Jr., and Lockheed Martin
CEO Robert Stevens stand for the playing of
the national anthem at the Marine Corps’ F35B Lightning II Rollout Ceremony at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., Friday.

Gen. Joseph Dunford, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, stated at the rollout
ceremony that for the first time in aviation history, the most lethal fighter characteristics came together on a single platform. A list of the aircraft’s
abilities include supersonic speed, radar-evading
stealth, extreme agility and short takeoff vertical
landing capability.
“It’s innovation like that represented here today
which has kept Marine aviation ready and relevant for the last 100 years,” said Dunford.
The new aircraft was on display at the VMFATSee F-35B page A7

@ACLEOPATRAUSMC

More than 90 Marines and Sailors with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 Forward, returned to Marine Corps Air
Station Cherry Point Thursday after completing a year-long
deployment in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
The unit reunited with their friends and family during a reception at the Training and Education building aboard the air
station. There, troops and their families shared mixed emotions about the deployment.
While deployed, the support squadron made it a priority to
take care of any administrative issues such as pay problems
their Marines and Sailors had. They also managed supply
transactions, handled billeting and provided internal logistics for the wing headquarters, said Maj. Kyrl A. Erickson,
who served as MWHS-2 (Fwd.)’s commanding officer.
“I’m very proud of the job they did,” he said. “Our focus
was to take some of the pressure off of wing headquarters so
they could provide the best aviation support possible.”
During pre-deployment exercises, the Marines and Sailors underwent extensive training tailored to each individual
job, said Lt. Col. Thomas J. Witczak, commanding officer
of MWHS-2.
“I am excited to have my husband home,” said Misty
Ash, spouse of 1st Lt. Logan P. Ash, a supply officer with
MWHS-2 (Fwd.).

Misty said this deployment was very hard for the family
because of the length of time her husband spent in Afghanistan.
“This was our first deployment since having children. Our
daughter Addison is excited to see him,” she said.
“We are very excited to have our son home,” said Corey
and Paula Wagner, who made the trip from Nebraska to welcome their son home. “To make the holidays more enjoyable
for Ethan, we sent him Christmas in a box.”
Inside the care package, his parents included a small tree,
stockings and a nativity scene so he could have a small piece
of home with him.
Like the Wagners, many other families traveled from all
over to be there for their loved ones when they returned.
“We drove four hours from Greenville, S.C., because we
wanted to show our grandson that we are very proud of his
accomplishments,” said Frances and Dean Brown. Their
grandson, Sgt. Richard C. Abercrombie, is a warehouse
clerk with MWHS-2 (Fwd.).
The Browns said that they support their grandson in every
way possible. They say he is more like a son to them because
they raised him.
“I’m very glad to be back, I missed my grandparents so
much,” said Abercrombie. “Now that I’m back, it is definitely family time.”

Marines and civilians held a celebration marking the first day
of the now fully operational upgraded Prowler simulator at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Feb. 22.
The 2F-185 simulator is the first simulator aboard MCAS
Cherry Point for the EA-6B Prowler Imroved Capability III and
provides better training capabilities for ICAP III pilots. The EA6B Prowler ICAP II was upgraded to the ICAP III in 2010
The simulator was first owned by the Navy, who decided in
2006 that the $16 million simulator was no longer needed.
That same year, the Marine Corps decided to adopt the simulator and “yanked it from the jaws of the Defense Reutilization
and Management Office,” said Barry Fetzer, deputy director of
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s Aviation Training Systems. DRMO
is an organization that disposes of surplus military equipment.
Fetzer said the Marine Corps needs the more up to date and
enhanced training capabilities the weapons system trainer could
offer.
Lt. Gen. John G. Castellaw, deputy commandant of Marine
Corps Aviation in 2007, started the process of moving the simulator to MCAS Cherry Point.
Fetzer said after Castellaw signed the memo the Marines went
to work.
“In a matter of a few months, they got the required headquarters endorsements to take possession of and relocate the 2F185,” Fetzer said.
The Marine Corps was able to relocate the simulator to a temporary storage facility in California where it received a much
needed technology upgrade.
In 2009 the simulator was moved in several hundred pieces,
some weighing several tons, to MCAS Cherry Point.
Fetzer said, because of the superb cooperation between Naval Air Systems Command Aircraft Program Office, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and MCAS Cherry Point personnel, a plan
See SIMULATOR page A7

See A5 for story and more photos or visit
http://1.usa.gov/southboundtrooper
Cherry Point
commemorates
Montford Point
Marines
With your smartphone

See page B1 for photos
and story

download a QR code reader
and scan the code.

A2 March 1, 2012

Youtube.com/MCASCPPA

The Windsock

The Wheel of Faithfulness
CMDR. JAMES GOODBOW
2ND MAW

Thousands of years ago God told the prophet Jeremiah
of the Land of New Hope (18:1-11).
To describe that land, God told Jeremiah to go down to
a potter’s house to see how a potter works with clay. Jeremiah followed God’s direction and walked south of the
City of Jerusalem to the center of the pottery industry.
The art of pottery has basically remained unchanged for
thousands of years. Today, the finest pottery you can buy
is not mass produced - it is handmade. The potter works
with clay just about the same way as the ancient potter did
thousands of years ago. The potter takes soft putty-like
clay and begins to beat it, shape it and mold it.

Then she throws it on what is called a revolving wheel.
While that wheel is being turned the potter pulls and
shapes it until finally that soft mass of putty-like material begins to take shape and form to become a beautiful
finished work of superb pottery.
God used this real life example to show Jeremiah how
God works with us.
The potter demonstrates how God shapes and molds us
until we become a beautiful vessel fit not just for earthly
use but also for eternal use.
The focus of the story is not so much on the clay or the
wheel but instead on the potter. It is the potter who makes
the clay useful. It is the potter who gives the clay its form
and its function.

Imagine that we are the clay and God is the potter and
life is the wheel.
With God shaping and molding our life, there new
is hope for anyone no matter how far he/she may have
crossed over to the wrong side.
This parable describes God dealing with us in a life
transforming way. How? God is always working on you
and me. God never stops! We can see that in verse six.
“Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Behold, like the clay in the
potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.”
God is the potter of our lives. Every day just like the clay
See CHAPLAIN page A7

Celebrating 100 years of Marine Corps aviation

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Tiltrotor Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 22, prepares to refuel aboard the flight deck of USS Wasp (LHD 1) Nov. 15, 2005.
The development and production program began in 1986 and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 became the first unit to deploy with the Osprey in 2007.

The MV-22 Osprey is a new aircraft with a long story.
NASA, the Army and numerous corporations worked to
create an aircraft that could land like a helicopter and
fly like a plane since the 1970’s. In September 2007,
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 became the
first Marine squadron to deploy to combat with this capability.
“The Marine Corps had identified the need to develop a future replacement for the CH-46 in the 1970’s,”
said Benjamin H. Kristy, a curator at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. “The decision for the Marine Corps to pursue a tiltrotor aircraft was the result
of several factors including the need to find a replacement for the CH-46, the maturation of previous tilt-rotor/tilt-wing technology demonstrators and a real-world
military situation which could not be met by the current
capabilities of the aircraft in the fleet.”
One such situation occurred in 1980 when Operation
Eagle Claw launched to rescue hostages during the Iran
Hostage Crisis. The operation failed when two aircraft
collided, caught fire and killed several service members. According to Kristy, proponents of the MV-22
contend if the aircraft were available then, the planning
and execution would have been simpler and reduced the
chances of an accident.
“The benefits of helicopters are their ability to take off

and land vertically, not requiring a long runway,” said
Col. Christopher C. Seymour, commanding officer of
Marine Aircraft Group 26 and a former test pilot of the
aircraft. “The primary weakness of helicopters is their
limited speed, range and altitude envelope. Airplanes,
on the other hand, have much greater speed, range and
altitude capability.
“The Osprey combines the capabilities of both types
of aircraft giving us unprecedented operational and tactical advantages.”
The Osprey development and production program
was in full swing by 1986. Technical and cost challenges prevented the Osprey from entering combat service
for 20 more years.
Kristy explained the Osprey development team overcame several challenges on it’s way to the assembly line.
One issue addressed was power settling. All helicopters
are susceptible to a potentially disastrous aerodynamic
condition when descending where the propellers of the
aircraft are pushing on their own downwash. Because
the air is descending, it cannot provide lift, causing the
aircraft to fall.
Another issue was the fly-by-wire design. According
to Kristy, older aircraft required hydraulics where if a
pilot worked his controls, one mechanical device after
another would interact to move the rudder on the tail or
any other part of the aircraft. On the Osprey, however,
when the pilot moves the stick, a computer interprets

the input and an electrical impulse is sent to the parts
of the aircraft involved. Kristy said the programming
required to make the computer interpret data and send
the impulses is very sophisticated.
Both issues caused losses during the research and
development program but were overcome. The Osprey
not only has a good safety record today, it has the best
record of any rotorcraft, according to Seymour.
“Since 2007, we’ve deployed MV-22B squadrons
three times to Iraq, four times to Afghanistan, and we’re
ready to launch our fourth Marine Expeditionary Unit
armed with an MV-22B core aviation combat element,”
said Seymour. “During this time the MV-22B has accumulated more than 130,000 flight hours without a single
combat loss. If my son were a Marine, I’d want him
supported by the MV-22B Osprey.”
The MV-22B’s abilities to land like a helicopter and
fly like an airplane safely marks the beginning of a new
age on the battlefield.
“The predictions about how the Osprey can help reshape the battle-space for the ground commander thanks
to its range and speed have been born out,” Kristy explained. “I think we are just seeing the beginning of
what the Osprey can do and how the Marine Corps will
find ways of utilizing those capabilities to good effect
on the field of battle.”

The editorial content is edited, prepared and approved by
the Public Affairs Office at Cherry Point. Correspondence
should be addressed to: Commanding Officer, Public Affairs Office, (Attn: Individual concerned), PSC Box 8013,
MCAS Cherry Point, N.C. 28533-0013. To provide comments or suggestions call 252-466-4241 or email:
cherry.point.windsock@gmail.com. Windsock is a registered trademark. To address any distribution problems
please contact the distribution manager at Ellis Publishing
at 252-444-1999. This Department of Defense newspaper
is an authorized publication for members of the DoD. Contents of the Windsock are not necessarily the official views
of or endorsed by the U.S. Government, the Department
of Defense, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps Air
Station Cherry Point, or the Public Affairs Office, Cherry
Point, N.C. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute
endorsement by the Department of Defense, the U.S. Marine Corps, or Ellis Publishing Co., of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication
shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage
without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin,
age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation
or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. The Windsock is published by Ellis Publishing Co., a
private firm in no way connected with the Department of
Defense or the U.S. Marine Corps under exclusive written
contract with Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, N.C.
The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility
of the PAO.

While Marines across the air station are
hard at work, Lance Cpl. Walter Givan
III, a facilities maintenance manager with
Marine Air Group 14, ensures the buildings
and hangars they work in are properly
maintained.
“As the facilities maintenance manager,
I am responsible for the maintenance and
upkeep of approximately 50 buildings,”
said Givan. “I work closely with civilian
contractors to ensure building repairs get
made in a timely manner,” he said.
“It’s hard keeping an eye on all the
buildings,” he said. “The hardest part of my
job is staying on top of all of the maintenance
requests that I submit.”
He maintains buildings such as
barracks, hangars and storage facilities by
performing fire safety system inspections
and reconciling minor plumbing and repair
issues.
Givan says he enjoys his job because
he likes to interact with other Marines and
ensure their problems get resolved.

VIRGINIA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD INSTALLATION
FORT PICKETT, Va. – After finishing a series of refresher exercises, Marines with Battery B, 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense
Battalion, began bilateral training with the 36th Canadian Brigade
Feb. 20, as part of Exercise South Bound Trooper here.
The Marines and their Canadian counterparts are executing field
scenarios using a Canadian training system called “Weapon Effects
Simulator.”
“This is a chance for us to showcase our skills and the way we
conduct ourselves on the battlefield,” said 1st Sgt. Marcus Martinez, first sergeant of Battery B. “We will also learn how the Canadian Army does everything and maybe even learn a bit about ways
to improve our tactics.”
On today’s battlefields, the Marine Corps is accustomed to conducting combined operations, said Martinez, and the goal of South
Bound Trooper is to reinforce the tactics used with allied forces.
This “Weapons Effects Simulator” system follows the same
principles as laser tag with a vest worn by each combatant, linked
by a computer and GPS system that tells the participant when they
are hit, as well as the severity of the wound or if they have been
killed, said Canadian Maj. Michael J. Gervais, deputy commanding officer of 36th Canadian Brigade Group.
The gear is only a small part of this exercise and the most important aspect is familiarizing the troops with their coalition partners,
added Gervais.
“This is the first time we have worked with a Marine land section,” he said. “The Marines of LAAD have shown us a lot of different tactics we can utilize, and that is what this exercise is supposed to bring around to us.”
“Seeing how the Marines do their job prepares us for possible
integration during deployments in the future,” said Gervais.
“By working with the Canadians over the last week, we have
been able to get extra work on our two main missions, which are
ground-based air defense and providing security posts,” said Capt.
Jonathan M. Trizila, commanding officer of Battery B.
“This exercise has given us a means to hone our skills on a much
larger unit level,” Trizila said. “We usually have to simulate different events happening when training on our own.”
Trizila said everyone, from lance corporals to staff noncommissioned officers, is learning a great deal during the exercise.
“Working with the Canadians lets us see the bigger picture about
tactics they use,” said Cpl. Demingo Lara, a section leader with
Battery B. “This event makes Bravo Battery a better team of Marines.”

PHOTOS BY LANCE CPL. CORY D. POLOM

A Marine with Battery B, 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, carries
a FIM-92 Stinger Missile system while he patrols a road aboard Virginia
Army National Guard Installation Fort Pickett, Va., Feb. 21.

A group of 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion Marines and members
of the 36th Canadian Brigade work together to paddle their assault
boat across a river aboard Virginia Army National Guard Installation
Fort Pickett, Va., Feb. 21. The group moved through the woods to a
simulated village on a peace keeping mission in support of exercise
South Bound Trooper.

Lance Cpl. Joshua B. Stewart, a team leader with Battery B, 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense
Battalion, provides security for a patrol aboard Virginia Army National Guard Installation
Fort Pickett, Va., Feb. 21. The Marines supported the 36th Canadian Brigade Group during
a simulated humanitarian mission to a village in support of exercise South Bound Trooper.
“Working with the Canadians lets us see the bigger picture about tactics they use,” said Cpl.
Demingo Lara, a section leader with Battery B. “This event makes Bravo Battery a better team
of Marines.”

A group of 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion Marines and members
of the 36th Canadian Brigade patrol through the woods aboard Virginia
Army National Guard Installation Fort Pickett, Va., Feb. 21.

A4 March 1, 2012

The Windsock

Facebook.com/MCASCherryPoint

Wounded warriors commence 2012
Marine Corps Trials with ceremony

PFC. TREVON PERACCA

The Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment kicked off the 2012 Marine Corps Trials opening ceremony at the Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton Track, Feb. 16. More
than 300 wounded, ill and injured Marines, Marine veterans and international service members will participate in the second annual Marine Corps Trials Feb. 16-21
aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. The event, hosted by Wounded Warrior Regiment, will include individual and team competition in sitting volleyball,
wheelchair basketball, swimming, cycling, shooting, archery and track and field. Four teams – east, west, veteran and international – will go head-to-head for team gold.
The international team has military athletes from seven nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, Germany Columbia and the Netherlands.

SGT. HEIDI AGOSTINI
MARINE CORPS WOUNDED WARRIOR REGIMENT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — The Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment kicked
off the 2012 Marine Corps Trials with an opening ceremony, Feb. 16, at Marine Corps
Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.
More than 300 wounded, ill or injured Marines, Marine veterans and international service members will participate in the second annual Marine Corps Trials Feb. 16 through
21.
“Our Marine Corps Trials are both clinical and competition,” said Col. Jay J. Krail, the
Wounded Warrior Regiment executive officer. “Everyone here will receive world-class
coaching over the next week.”
Several notable volunteer coaches are devoting their time and expertise with the athletes, including Olympic Gold medalist swimmer Sheila Taormina, Olympic triathlete
Victor Plata, and nationally-ranked University of Oregon track and field thrower, Brittany Hinchcliffe.
“Camp Pendleton is privileged to host the Trials for the second year, and we’re proud
of the role that we’ve played in not only these games, but in preparation of our veterans
and Marine team for the Warrior Games that will be held later this year in Colorado
Springs, Colo.,” said Col. Nicholas F. Marano, the base commanding officer.
The regiment will select 50 Marines, veteran and active, as members of the All-Marine
team for the Warrior Games, a competition between all branches of services in Colorado
Springs, Colo., early May.

2nd Semi-Annual
Flea Market - Yard Sale
Fundraiser

“The veterans and Marines last year went on to win the most medals in Colorado with
the fewest number of athletes, clearly living up to the Marine Corps motto of ‘the few,
the proud,’” Marano said.
Cpl. Manuel Jimenez, from New Britain, Conn., is participating in the trials for the
second year. The 23-year-old competed in track last year and will compete in swimming,
track and sitting volleyball this year. Jimenez, an above-elbow amputee, advises first
time competitors to enjoy the trials and continue to be athletic.
“If you don’t leave this year with something, come back next year and show those
guys what you’ve learned,” Jimenez said. “The sky’s the limit. Don’t give up on yourself.
If you have the fire that lights inside you as all Marines do, you can accomplish anything
you want.”
The Trials brings together allies and friends from the field of battle where they fought
and bled together, to the field of fitness in Southern California.
“We fight together,” Krail said. “We fight oppression. We fight radical, fanatic evil,
perverted beliefs. We fight drug cartels together. We fight fascism. We fight for right and
we fight for freedom.”
Krail said off the battlefield, these athletes fight personal battles, fighting limitations
and amputations, to see when their eyes fail, to move when their bodies are tired.
“Our bodies get better,” Krail said. “Our minds get better. We win. ‘Etiam in Pugna.’
Still in the fight. We will always be, still in the fight, cause we are warriors.”

IT’S OUR DUTY TO
KEEP YOU CONNECTED.

The Havelock Moose Family Center will be hosting it’s,

2nd Semi-Annual Flea - Market
fundraiser event on:

March 10th & 11th
from 8am - 3pm
• 8x8 Inside Booth available for
$15 donation for two days.
• 10x10 Outside Booth available for
$10 donation for two days.
• Table Rental $5 donation
available for two days
(Table rental includes three tables & 2 chairs for your space)

Space is limited so book early.
Proceeds allow us to support community
organizations and local youth activities.

PHOTOS BY LANCE CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI
Top Photo- Marine Attack Squadron 231 Marines put all their strength into pulling Humvees during the Feats
of Strength competition Feb. 21. In this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competition, two Marines pulled Humvees while a third
stopped the vehicle for the fourth to retrieve tires from the sides of the course.
Maj. Ryan Hough, maintenance officer with VMA-231, said the competition is a monthly contest between the
elements of VMA-231. Other squadrons can challenge VMA-231 for the A. A. Cunning Ham Trophy, which
is awarded to whichever shop wins the Feats of Strength competition.
Right Photo - Cpl. Alexandre Robidoux, a powerline mechanic for Marine Attack Squadron 231, struggles
to pull a Humvee during the squadronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Feats of Strength competition Feb. 21. The maintenance shops and
the pilots each broke into teams of four for the Humvee Pull competition. The Flight E Seat Shop won the
competition and will go on to face another squadron from Marine Aircraft Group 14 for the A. A. Cunning
Ham Trophy.

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A6 March 1, 2012

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The Windsock

LOCKHEED MARTIN

Maj. Richard Rusnok is seen in the cockpit of an F-35B Joint Strike Fighter during initial sea trials aboard USS Wasp (LHD 1) in Oct. 2011. The John H. Glenn Squadron
of the Marine Corps Aviation Association selected Rusnok as test pilot of the year for his role in the successful embarkation and deployment of more than 250 people
and 140,000 pounds of supplies and equipment accompanying two F-35B test aircraft on USS Wasp (LHD 1).

Marine major selected as F-35B test pilot of the year
JSF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND,
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The test
pilot responsible for leading the planning
effort for the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter’s
initial sea trials in October received accolades for his leadership during a ceremony
here, Feb. 16.
The John H. Glenn squadron of the Marine Corps Aviation Association selected
Maj. Richard Rusnok as test pilot of the
year for his role in the successful embarkation and deployment of more than 250
people and 140,000 pounds of supplies
and equipment accompanying two F-35B
test aircraft on USS Wasp (LHD 1).
“Major Rusnok was the focal point

for an extremely complex event, and the
amount of coordination, thought and planning he put into it was enormous,” said
Navy Capt. Erik Etz, military director of
test and evaluation for F-35 naval variants.
“Initial sea trials were a resounding success, and his award is well deserved.”
“It’s every naval test pilot’s dream to
be involved with initial ship trials,” Rusnok said. “It’s such a rare occurrence – a
once-in-a-generation opportunity – for us
to take a new aircraft to sea.”
Rusnok, an operational test liaison,
spent almost a year planning the trials.
“It was an incredible opportunity for me
to see the plan evolve over time,” Rusnok
said. “It sounds trite, but nothing I did was
noteworthy. I had a lot of support and the

Rusnok was among three Marines honored at the squadron’s 7th Annual Acquisition Awards Banquet. As Test Pilot of
the Year, he will be considered for the national Commandant of the Marine Corps’
Award for Acquisition Excellence, to be
announced by the national MCAA organization in May.
The F-35B is the Marine variant of the
Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. It is capable
of short takeoffs and vertical landings for
use on amphibious ships or expeditionary
airfields to provide air power to the Marine
Air-Ground Task Force. Initial ship trials
for the F-35B began Oct. 3 on USS Wasp.
The F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet.

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virtually unlimited resources of a talented
team.”
Rusnok was also one of four test pilots
hand-selected to demonstrate the Marines’
amphibious air power with the first short
takeoffs and vertical landings on USS
Wasp.
“It was really satisfying to see the payoff
of all the hard work we did, like the Field
Carrier Landing Practices with the Wasp
crew,” Rusnok said. “Flying at sea felt like
coming home again.”
“I was surprised and happy to be selected,” Rusnok said.
This year, Rusnok will transition to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., where operational testing on the F-35B will commence.

501 hangar for military leaders, government officials and other guests to view.
VMFAT-501 will also be the first Marine Corps unit to begin training for and with the F-35B.
Eglin AFB has already constructed the F-35 Academic Training Center and in the near future will
begin training, throughout all military branches, maintainers and pilots on the aircraft.
“501 is on the forefront of one of the most significant transition periods Marine aviation has
ever known,” said Dunford. “Certainly one of the most important in a long time. Maybe since the
introduction of the helicopter.”
“We are trying not to waste the time we’ve been given,” said Col. Arthur Tomassetti, the vice
commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing, which is responsible for pilot and maintainer training on the
F-35 A, B and C models. “We hope that people will be pleased and proud to see the time we’ve
been given to prepare operational readiness has been used to the advantage.”
Tomassetti said that VMFAT-501 was approaching the training for the aircraft with a crawl-walkrun approach, and were currently between crawl and walk. He explained the importance of taking
their time learning the aircraft and feeding off the constructive feedback from outside sources.
“We could accelerate training,” said Tomassetti. “But then we might miss things. It’s better to
just get it right the first time.”
The fifth generation aircraft is slated to replace the Marine Corps’ F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8B Harrier and EA-6B Prowler, reducing maintenance costs while ensuring the Marine Corps’ tactical air
dominance.
Maj. Gen. Jon Davis, the commanding general of 2nd MAW, said that Friday was a very exciting
day for the Marine Corps and it’s been 60 years in the making. Davis explained that the aircraft
means something for more than just the wing side but it is there for the infantrymen as well.
“Thank you all for being witness to this historic event,” said Dunford. “Know that the spirit of innovation within Marine aviation is alive and well and lives on today in every Marine before you.
“It will continue to live on here with the Warlords of VMFAT-501 as it has in every clime and
place for the last 100 years of Marine aviation. May the next 100 be as memorable.”

was developed and executed to bring the new simulator to MCAS Cherry
Point.
After the simulator was moved to its current location on MCAS Cherry
Point it was reassembled, received further upgrades and was tested to make
sure it operates like the actual aircraft.
“It is an effective and relevant training system,” Fetzer said. It is a training system that will stay with the Marines until the end of the venerable
Prowler aircraft itself.
It took a lot of persistence and dedication to achieve this now almost
six-year plan said Lt. Col. Ryan Rideout, director of 2nd MAW Aviation
Training Systems.
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence,” said Rideout reading a quote from former President of the United States Calvin
Coolidge. “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
Rideout went on to say, “The story of this weapon system trainer being
here now, in this place, under Marine Corps leadership and management,
and ready to train Marine Corps electronic attack warriors, is a story of
teamwork and persistence worthy of being told and celebrated.”

CHAPLAIN from page A2
is in the hand of the potter God has His hands on your life and my life.
Invisible hands of a heavenly potter are on the clay of your life molding you, shaping you, forming you, and making you into the creation that our Lord wants you to become.
Never doubt that God has a plan for your life!
I don’t care who you are, what your background may be, where you have come from or where
you are going; God has a plan and purpose, not only for your life, but for every life. Just as the potter molds and shapes the clay, God wants to Mold and Shape you. Just as the potter has a plan and
a purpose for the clay God has a plan and purpose for you.
Do you know what is true about clay? It is only useful in the hands of the potter. We are useful
to God when we place ourselves in the hands of God. Just as clay is valuable to the potter, we are
valuable to God. Have you ever thought about the fact that God created the world with his hands,
but God created us with God’s own heart? When God created the world he said, “That’s good,”
but when God created us God said, “That is very good.” God values His creatures far more than he
values his creation.
The psalmist put it this way in Psalm 8:3-6: “When I look at the night sky and see the work of
your fingers the moon and the stars you have set in place what are mortals that you should think
of us, mere humans that you should care for us? For you made us only a little lower than God, and
you crowned us with glory and honor.”
God, in His own way and time, is working on the world. Life in essence is God’s pottery wheel
on which you and I are being formed and shaped day by day. In the daily cicle of life, God has
placed you on the wheel of His eternal care. This isn’t the “Wheel of Fortune,” nor is it the “Wheel
of Fate.” It is the wheel of faithfulness: God’s faithfulness to His purpose and plan for your life.
So often, we get frustrated when life takes a twisted turn or the wheel of life seems to turn unfairly. We get discouraged and disillusioned and sometimes even bitter toward God. We start focusing on the wheel and we forget the potter. The potter knows exactly what he is doing. We will not
always understand why certain things happen to us. We will not always understand why the wheel
of life takes a certain turn. But if the clay of your life is in the hands of God the potter, you can trust
our God to mold you and to make you into what the creator wants you to be and do what is best for
you. That is exactly what Romans 8:28 means, “God works all things out together for the good of
those who love Him.”

A8 March 1, 2012

Facebook.com/MCASCherryPoint

The Windsock

HMM-265 provides support to boots on ground

LANCE CPL. ALYSSA HOFFACKER

CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, land on the flight line aboard Marine Corps
Air Station Futenma, Japan, Feb. 15. The helicopters returned from the central training area where they provided airlift capability to Marines with Battalion Landing Team
1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 31st MEU.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, Japan
— More than 10 aircraft with Marine Medium Helicopter
Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary
Unit filled the skies simultaneously as they took off from
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan, Feb. 15.
The purpose of the flights was to provide airlift capability to ground units in the northern training areas of Okinawa.
The aircraft, which included UH-1 Huey, CH-46E
Sea Knight, CH-53E Super Stallion and AH-1W Cobra
helicopters, departed MCAS Futenma en route to Camp
Hansen where they picked up Marines with Company B,
Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 31st MEU.
Once onboard, the Marines were transported to the cen-

“This required a lot from the maintenance crews, scheduling operations and planning on a lot of facets, which
today’s training would not have been possible without,”
said Capt. Terry A. Carter Jr., a pilot with the squadron.
With nearly a dozen helicopters in the air simultaneously, HMM-265 (Rein.), 31st MEU was also able to provide
pilots with the opportunity to lead a formation of aircraft.
This skill set ultimately allows pilots to serve in more demanding roles within the squadron, said Marsh.
“This is the most important training that can prepare
(the squadron) for austere environments found throughout
the (Asia-)Pacific area of operations,” said Carter.
CH-46Es, which have been in the Marine Corps inventory since the Vietnam War, are be to be drawn out of the
Marine Corps and will be replaced with the MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft, said Marsh.

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tral training area.
The mass airlift’s training value was beneficial to the air
crews as well as the infantry Marines being transported,
said Cpl. Kevin A. Bruscas, a crew chief with HMM-265
(Rein.), 31st MEU.
“This (training) is about supporting the lone rifleman,
standing down there in the mud,” said Lt. Col. Damien M.
Marsh, the squadron’s commanding officer.
Marsh continued to explain how Marine riflemen make
up the ground combat element of the Marine Air-Ground
Task Force.
The training also allowed the aviation combat element
Marines to continue to prepare for future flying engagements.
“This is a good opportunity for us to train for deployments,” said Bruscas. “We do similar exercises often but
never on this large of a scale.”

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Sgt. Martin Lucero, a scout sniper with 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s maritime raid force, fires at a target from the rear gate of a CH-53E Super Stallion in the U.S.
Navy’s 5th Fleet area of responsibility Feb. 22. The Super Stallion is with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), 11th MEU. 11th MEU is providing support
for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

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A10 March 1, 2012

Facebook.com/MCASCherryPoint

The Windsock

Lending a helping hand

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Marines and Sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary
Unit, till land at a child protection and development center in Pattaya, Thailand,
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use as gardens. The event comes at the conclusion of exercise Cobra Gold 2012.
The exercise demonstrates the resolve of the U.S. and participating nations to
increase interoperability and promote security and peace throughout the AsiaPacific region. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and
remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Barbara Tate, a member of the Montford Point Marines Association, attends the Preserving the Legacy memorial program held by the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry
Point Chapter of the Montford Point Marine Association at the MCAS Cherry Point Theater Friday.

Cherry Point community works to rewrite history to
include the memories of the Montford Point Marines
LANCE CPL. ANDREA CLEOPATRA DICKERSON
MCAS CHERRY POINT

@ACLEOPATRAUSMC

Members of the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
community gathered for a celebration commemorating
the Montford Point Marines, the first blacks allowed into
the Marine Corps, at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry
Point Theater Friday.
“There are so many Montford Point Marines that we
have stood on the shoulders of from past to present, that
have gotten us where we are today,” said Retired Master
Gunnery Sgt. Arnold E. Breckenridge, the secretary of the
Cherry Point Chapter of the Montford Point Marine Association.
February is black history month, so it is important to
remember the history of black Marines, added Breckenridge.
“The purpose of this event is to recognize our heroes,
the Montford Point Marines,” said Breckenridge. “Without them paving the way, I would not have been able to
obtain the rank of master gunnery sergeant while I was
enlisted.
“But more importantly, I would not even have been able
to become a Marine,” he said.
Although these few made history as the first black Marines, they still went through the trials of the time – segregation, said Gunnery Sgt. Harsheen T. Eady, MCAS
Cherry Point’s equal opportunity advisor.
“In 1942, the black recruits weren’t allowed to go to
Parris Island or San Diego, because of segregation,” Eady
said. “Therefore, Montford Point Base, an all black recruit training camp, was stood up outside of Marine Corps
Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.”
The Marine Corps was the last military branch to accept blacks after receiving orders from President Franklin
D. Roosevelt in 1941, said Eady. Much like the AfricanAmerican innovators that joined the other branches of service, black Marines made their mark in history.
“Originally, the Marines were going to be discharged
after World War II ended, but they proved they were just
as vital to the Marine Corps as all of the other Marines that
had ever fought and died for this country,” said Eady.
During his opening remarks, Breckenridge recounted

his experiences as a Marine.
“When I was a young Marine at Parris Island, I remember opening up the notebook of information I was given
that contained all of the Marine Corps history, from the
first commandant to where and how the Corps was made,”
Breckenridge said. “There was nothing about African
Americans.”
The Montford Point Marines will now get recognition at
various installations across the Corps, said Breckenridge.
“The history of the Marine Corps is being rewritten so
the young Marines that come into our Corps will understand what these special men stood for, and what they
have contributed to history,” Breckenridge said.
“Despite being denied many basic rights, the Montford Point Marines committed to serve our country with
selfless patriotism,” said Barack Obama, President of the
United States. “They embodied the Marine Corps motto
of Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful.
“These heroes paved the way for future generations of
warriors, regardless of background, to serve in the finest
military the world has ever known.”
That message was heavily conveyed through the duration of the program.
During the program, attendees sang ‘Lift Every Voice
and Sing’, watched a presentation of the proposed Montford Point Marine Memorial and heard remarks from various speakers.
Retired and active duty Marines from all over North
Carolina were in attendance at the event.
“It is very inspiring to see all different kinds of Marines
present here today,” said Eady.
“It’s phenomenal to see the members of the Order of
the Purple Heart here supporting the cause with the purple
heart emblem on their purple ties, alongside the Montford
Point Marines Association members with an eagle, globe
and anchor etched on their red ties,” he said.
It is important for everyone from the upper echelon to
retirees and civilians to know the story of the Montford
Point Marines, said Breckenridge.
“Every Marine — from private to general — will know
the history of those men who crossed the threshold to fight
not only the enemy they were soon to know overseas, but

L. Shannon Sabsook, the president of the MCAS
Cherry Point Chapter of the Montford Point Marines
Association, delivers a motivational speech during the
Preserving the Legacy memorial program at the MCAS
Cherry Point Theater Friday. The Marine Corps was the
last military branch to accept blacks after receiving
orders from President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941.

the enemy of racism and segregation in their own country,” said General John F. Amos, the 35th Commandant of
the Marine Corps, during his remarks in an inspirational
video played during the program.
“We must continue to champion the cause for the preservation of the legacy of the Montford Point Marines,” said
Dr. James T. Averhart Jr., national president of MPMA.
“This is not just black history, or Marine Corps history.
This is American history, and the world should know.”

(Above) Members of the Military Order of the Purple
Heart show their support for the Cherry Point Chapter of
the Montford Point Marines Association speech during
the Preserving the Legacy memorial program at the
MCAS Cherry Point Theater Friday. “It’s phenomenal to
see the members of the Order of the Purple Heart here
supporting the cause,” said Gunnery Sgt. Harsheen
T. Eady, MCAS Cherry Point’s equal oppportunity
advisor.
(Left) Sixteen-year-old Ashanti Curry recites a poem
she wrote about the Montford Point Marines during the
Preserving the Legacy memorial program at the MCAS
Cherry Point Theater Friday. “It is truly an honor to
be at this event and have the opportunity to share my
words with the Marines,” said Curry.

Thirst mechanism – A substantial level of
dehydration can occur before one feels “thirsty.”
Therefore, fluid intake should be 8 to 12 ounces 15
minutes before the event, and 3 to 4 ounces every 10
to 15 minutes during the activity. Afterwards, one
should take in 16 ounces of fluid for every pound of
bodyweight lost.

Prolonged activities – For endurance activities
lasting less than 60 minutes, water should be the
primary fluid replacement. After one hour of activity,
sports drinks can be beneficial in restoring fluid
levels.
Fluid replacements – The best fluid replacement
drink is one that tastes good, does not cause
gastrointestinal distress, promotes rapid fluid
absorption, and provides energy (8 ounces of sports
drink should provide between 14 and 19 grams of
carbohydrate, about 56 to 76 calories per serving.)

Eating on the “run” – There are nutritional choices
of high-carbohydrate and low-fat foods that can be
easily bought, prepared, or packed. Those factors
should be taken into consideration when eating food
while doing a physical event.

General recommendations – Meals other than the
pre-activity meal eaten on the same day should not
be skipped. They should follow the basic principles
discussed earlier.
Liquid meals – Liquid meals have some advantages
over solid meals for pre-activity nutrition. They have
a high carbohydrate content, have no bulk, are easily
digested and assimilated, and may be more practical
than a solid meal. Most liquid meals are high in
carbohydrates, low in protein and fat, and may have
added vitamins and minerals.
Eating during activities – There is no need to
consume anything during most types of endurance
activities except possibly carbohydrates and water.
Carbohydrates taken during these activities may help
delay the onset of fatigue, while water is critical to
regulate body temperature.
Eating after activities – Carbohydrates and fat are
the main nutrients used during exercise and can be
replaced easily from foods. For those individuals
performing daily physical endurance events,
their post-activity meal should have a balance of
carbohydrates and protein. This will help replenish
the muscle stores of glucose (glycogen) necessary
for continued daily training at high intensity, as well
as promote muscle growth and sustainment of lean
body mass.

The General Election
is Tuesday, Nov. 6
Registering to vote takes less time than it takes to fill
your gas tank. Contact a voting officer today! If you
are unsure who your Unit Voting Officer is, contact the
Installation Voter Assistance Office. The office is located inside the DEERS/RAPIDS office in building 298.
Cpl. Kent Holtberg is available to assist you during
normal working hours at 466-3243, and via email at
vote.mcascherrypoint@USMC.mil. Your vote counts!

••• MOVIE SYNOPSIS •••
We Bought A Zoo - Starring: Matt Damon, Colin Ford, Thomas Haden Church. Benjamin
Mee is a recently-widowed father who moves his family to a beautiful estate miles outside
the city. The only catch is that the estate is also a dilapidated zoo replete with 200 animals,
and the purchase of the home is conditional on the new owner keeping the zoo and its
entire staff. The Mee family subsequently sets out to rebuild and refurbish the zoo to its
former glory, making new friends along the way.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Starring: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas
Horn. Oskar is convinced that his father, who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade
Center, has left a final message for him hidden somewhere in the city. Feeling disconnected
from his grieving mother and driven by a relentlessly active mind that refuses to believe in
things that can't be observed, Oskar begins searching New York City for the lock that fits a
mysterious key he found in his father's closet.
Contraband - Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster. Chris Farraday long
ago abandoned his life of crime, but after his brother-in-law, Andy, botches a drug deal for
his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs, Chris is forced back into doing what he does best -- running
contraband -- to settle Andy's debt.
One For The Money - Starring: Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata. A proud,
born-and-bred Jersey girl, Stephanie Plum's got plenty of attitude, even if she's been out of
work for the last six months and just lost her car to a debt collector. Desperate for some fast
cash, Stephanie turns to her last resort: convincing her sleazy cousin to give her a job at his
bail bonding company as a recovery agent.
John Carter - Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Thomas Haden Church. War-weary,
former military captain John Carter is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes
reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet,
including Tars Tarkas and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris. In a world on the brink of
collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and
its people rests in his hands.
The Wild - Animation - Starring the voices of: Janeane Garofalo, Jim Belushi, Eddie Izzard.
A handful of zoo animals leave behind their well-protected environment for the streets of the
big city.

Movies are subject to change without notice

No-show effects on access to medical
care at Naval Health Clinic
Did you know that patients failing to show up for
medical appointments affects your access to medical
care at the Naval Health Clinic?
An appointment no-show occurs when a patient
misses their scheduled appointment and does not call
the facility prior to the appointment time to cancel.
In December, there were 8,178 scheduled medical
appointments for beneficiaries at the clinic. Of those
appointments, 645 patients did not show for their
scheduled appointments.
An appointment no-show affects us all,
particularly:
1. The patient who missed the appointment does not
get the care they need.
2. The patient who could have used the appointment

time if it was available.
3. The physician or provider who was fully staffed
and prepared just to see you!
It is imperative patients arrive on time and
complete scheduled medical appointments. At the
clinic, we realize things happen! If you cannot make
your appointment, simply call the facility and cancel
the appointment in advance, so another patient is
afforded the opportunity to use that appointment
time. Don’t let your neighbor down by limiting
access to needed healthcare!
Please remember Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point
is an appointment based clinic. To schedule or cancel
an appointment, please call 466-0921. We look
forward to your next visit!

Announcements
►Indicates new announcement
OSC Auction
The Cherry Point Officers’ Spouses Club will host a
“Time, Talent, and Treasures” auction at the Havelock
Tourist and Event Center March 16.
All proceeds generated at this event benefit local
and military communities through scholarships,
assistance grants and individual unit contributions.
The Cherry Point Officers’ Spouses Club was
originally founded in the early 1950s as the Officers’
Wives’ Club, a social club whose primary function was
to promote fellowship and support for its members.
For more information about the auction and OSC
visit http://www.cherrypoinosc.org.
MARSOC Screening
Headquarters Marine Corps will be hosting Marine
Forces Special Operations Command screening
for Active Duty Marines and Sailors interested in
MARSOC at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
March 29.
For more information contact your career planner or
visit http://1.usa.gov/marsocscreening for screening
requirements.
Tax Center Open
The Cherry Point tax center is open for business
until April 17. Walk-in hours are 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.,
Monday-Friday.
Clients are accepted Wednesday from 4:30-7:30
p.m. by appointment only.
Services are offered to active-duty and retired
service members.
The Tax Center location has changed this year and
is now in building 298, near the library and down
the hall from the DEERS/ RAPIDS office. This is an
IRS sponsored tax center where all Marines preparing
taxes are trained and certified by the IRS.
Free preparation services for basic federal and state
tax returns is provided.
For more information call the Tax Center at 4662001.

May 19. Early registration for the race is encouraged
before April 1, before rates increase.
Early registration prices for the half marathon are
$45 and $20 for the 10K, 5K and one mile walk/run.
For more information visit their website at
http://bit.ly/hopeforwarriors.
► Friday, Saturday Night Events for Children
The Bridge Youth Center on Harker’s Island offers
a place for children 6-18 to participate in recreational
activities in the evenings.
The center is open Friday and Saturday evenings
for children in the Beaufort, Havelock and Morehead
City area.
For more information contact Patrick J. Tivnan at
843-709-0732
Homecoming Signs
Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron supply
section collects personal homecoming signs that are
displayed on the MCAS Cherry Point fences on the
15th and 30th of every month.
Signs cannot be put up more than 10 days before a
return for operational security reasons.
All signs must include a date and signature
somewhere on the sign.
Once the signs are removed they will be held at
supply for five days until they are discarded.
Any sign deemed inappropriate will be removed
immediately.
For more information, contact Master Sgt. Joshua
Parris at 466-7361 or Bob Dockery at 466-7403.
Out of the Pocket: iPhoneography
Wilmington’s first exhibit of iPhone photographic
art is on showcase at the MC Erny Gallery in
Wilmington, N.C. Viewing times are 10 a.m.-4 p.m.,
Monday-Friday.
Dorian Hill, Lynn Casper and Morgan Kenney are
the iPhoneographers whose art is currently displayed
at the gallery.
For more information about the gallery, the artists’
biographies and iPhoneography, call 910-343-1640 or
visit http://bit.ly/wnciphoneography

Marine and Family Programs
Marine, Family Programs Office Numbers
The Family Member Employment Program,
Transition Assistance Management Program,
Relocation Assistance Program and accredited
financial counselors can be reached at 466-4201.
• Child Development Resource and Referral – 4663595.
Now in Building 87
• Exceptional Family Member Program
– 466-3305.
• Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program
– 466-5490.
• Substance Abuse Counseling – 466-7568.
• New Parent Support Program – 466-3651.
• Family Advocacy Program – 466-3264.
• Library – 466-3552.
• LifeLong Learning – 466-3500.
• Military Family Life Consultant – 876-8016.
• Retired Activities – 466-5548.
Budget for Baby
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society offers
Budget for Baby classes.
To register call 466-2031.
Breastfeeding Class
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society offers
free breastfeeding classes to expectant mothers.
The purpose of the class is to help prepare the
mother to be ready and confident to breastfeed
once the baby arrives.
To register call 466-2031.
Veterans’ Assistance
A representative from the Veterans Affairs Office
visits Cherry Point each Thursday in building 4335.
Call 466-4201 for assistance.

► Hope for the Warriors
Hope for the Warriors is announcing early
registration for the 7th annual Run for the Warriors.
The race will be held at Jacksonville High School

Courage to Change
Cherry Point and Havelock Courage to Change is a support group for
friends and families of people who
suffer from alcoholism.
Meetings are held at St. Paul’s
Lutheran Church in Havelock,
Tuesdays at 8 p.m.
For more information, call
241-6155 or 670-6236.
AA Beginners Meeting
There are two weekly Alcoholics
Anonymous meetings aboard the
air station. The meetings are held
Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m.
The meetings take place in Room
208 of Building 229, in the same
building as the tax center, next to the
Cherry Tree House.
For more information, call
447-2109.
Al-Anon Family Group Meeting
There are Al-Anon family group

MCAS CHERRY POINT AREA

meetings Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.
for family members and friends of
individuals who may have alcohol
problems. The meetings are held at
Havelock First Baptist Church.
For more information, call
447-8063 or 447-2109.

Marine Corps League Meetings
The Cherry Point Detachment
of the Marine Corps League meets
the third Tuesday of each month at
Miller’s Landing at 7 p.m.
For more information, call
515-1175.

Together For Life
The “Together for Life” one-day
premarital seminar is held for active
duty personnel age 26 and under,
within 90 days of marriage.
Please call the chapel at 466-4000
for more information.

Disabled Veterans
Chapter 26 of the Disabled
American Veterans meets on the third
Tuesday of each month at the Senior
Center in Havelock at 7 p.m.
For information, contact Cris
Young at 259-3427.

Domestic Violence Victims
A support group for victims of domestic violence is provided by the
Carteret County Domestic Violence
Program.
The group meetings are held every
Wednesday at 6 p.m.
For more information, call
728-3788.

Enlisted spouses club
The Cherry Point Enlisted Spouses
Club meets on the first Thursday of
every month in building 3452.The
Enlisted Spouses Club is a social/
service organization open to the
spouses of enlisted service members.
For information call 626-4319 or
visit http://www.cherrypointesc.org

Hotlines
2nd MAW Command Inspector General
466-5038
Station Inspector
466-3449
Fraud, Waste and Abuse
If you know of or suspect any fraud, waste or
abuse aboard MCAS Cherry Point, call 4662016.
This line’s automated answering service is
available 24/7.

Sexual Assault
This procedure is not to replace calling 911 if you
are in immediate danger. Immediately call 6654713, which is monitored 24/7. The person answering the call will help you decide the next steps
to take. You may remain anonymous.
Severe Weather and Force Protection
Information
Cherry Point personnel call 466-3093.
FRC East personnel call 464-8333.
DDCN personnel call 466-4083.

Dry runs
Be observant of behavior that appears to
be preparation for terrorist activity, such as
mapping out routes, playing out scenarios
with other people, monitoring military facilities, timing traffic lights or traffic flow, or
any other suspicious activities.

John King drives the No. 7 Toyota to win Friday’s Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway. (NASCAR photo)

King, Buescher best veteran drivers in respective upsets
ot one, but two young drivers scored stunning upsets
in their respective races at
Daytona International Speedway
last week.
John King, a 23-year-old
Camping World Truck Series driver with just seven previous starts
in the series – and not one of
them on a restrictor-plate track in
any division – steered his way
past one wreck after another to
win on Friday night.
Then in Saturday’s Nationwide
Series race, which included 12
Sprint Cup regulars, 21-year-old
James Buescher entered Turn 3
on the final lap in 11th place but
came away with the win after the
veterans in front of him crashed
out.
King’s was the biggest upset of
the two.
“The expectations were just to
finish,” said King, whose best previous Truck Series finish was a
15th in his debut at Bristol in
2010. “We did miss some wrecks.
It wasn’t until we made it into the
top five on restarts that I thought,
‘Man, this could happen, this
could get going.’ There were a couple uncertainties with a couple
green-white-checkereds we had to

N

encounter, but we made it happen.”
The win is the third overall of
King’s career.
“This is it,” he said. “I’ve won
one dirt late model race and one
late model stock race. It’s unbelievable.”
Veteran Truck Series driver
Todd Bodine said he told his rookie teammate to be sure to savor
his special night.
“He’s such a good kid,” Bodine
said. “He’s so polite and nice, and
he’s a heck of a race car driver.
“I talked to him before the race
and I told him, ‘John, just don’t do
anything and you’re going to be
there at the end.’ Sure enough,
that’s what happened. I am so
happy for him and everybody at
Red Horse Racing has worked
their guts out for the last two
months on all three of these
speedway trucks.”
Buescher, a Truck Series regular
and part-time Nationwide campaigner, had a fast car in practice
but few drafting partners when it
came down to the closing laps of
Saturday’s Nationwide Series race.
But that may have been a blessing, because those ahead of him on
the final lap wound up wrecking

James Buescher, driver of the No. 30 Chevrolet, celebrates after winning Saturday’s
Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona. (NASCAR photo)
along with their drafting partners,
clearing a path for Buescher to follow to the finish line.
“I was just trying to do everything I could to stay in the top 10
with no drafting help,” he said.
“They all piled up in front of me,
and we made it through.
“It’s hard to describe the feeling
when you make it through the
wreck and you’re the only guy.
You don’t see anybody in front of
you coming to the checkered flag.

It’s pretty incredible. Definitely
will never forget it.”
Like Friday’s winner King,
Buescher has yet to amass much
of a trophy collection.
“Only other time I won here at
Daytona was in the ARCA series,”
he said of his 2009 triumph. “Only
win I can remember after that
was [later that season] at
Kentucky in the ARCA series.
“I think that was the last time I
won a race.”

NOTEBOOK

Pastrana readies for NASCAR
Danica Patrick isn’t the only high-profile
motorsports competitor making a major commitment to NASCAR this year. Motocross and rally
racing star Travis Pastrana was at Daytona
International Speedway last week to talk about
his plans to move to NASCAR, plans that were
put on hold last year because of a shattered
ankle he suffered attempting a tricky motorcycle
maneuver at the X Games.
Pastrana, with his shaggy hair, easy smile and
legions of fans, will team with Michael Waltrip
Racing to run a mix of at least seven Nationwide
and 11 K&N Pro Series races this season. His
first K&N race will be at Bristol Motor Speedway
on March 17, with the first Nationwide on April
27 at Richmond International Raceway.
“We were looking to get 20 races in the
Nationwide Series, but with the sponsorship –
we’ve got it really good through K&N, Boost
Mobile and Samsung – they’ve agreed to do
seven rounds,” he said. “We’ll hit seven rounds
and still have the goal of hitting 20 races.”
He said the main thing he wants to communicate is that, like Patrick, he’s committed to
NASCAR.
“We’re not doing any
of the freestyle
motocross or any of
that stuff,” he said.
“This is where I want
to be. With the help of
Waltrip Racing – those
guys are putting me in
good cars – we’re
ready to get out there
and really try to do the
best that we can in
Travis Pastrana (Michael
this sport.”
Waltrip Racing photo)
He said he’s hoping
that by voicing his commitment to NASCAR racing, as well as working
hard on the track in races and test sessions, he
can pick up the backing needed to expand his
schedule.
“Instead of waiting for the sponsors to come to
us, we’re going to get out there and show them
that we’re ready to go race,” he said. “We’ll see
what we can get for the rest of the season.”
He said he’s well aware of the challenge ahead.
“For me, the perception of NASCAR was never
that it was going to be easy, for sure,” he said.
“I’ve done a lot of different sports, and every
sport, no matter how similar it is or seems,
there’s always been challenges that as a spectator, you’ll never really understand.”
His comments about his early test sessions
sounded like the scene from “Days of Thunder,”
where the veteran crew chief taught the openwheel driver that charging too hard had its consequences in the form of excessive tire wear that
eventually slowed speeds.
“Coming to NASCAR, I was surprised that the
harder that I tried to drive, the worse my results
ended up,” Pastrana said. “It wasn’t necessarily
that my lap times weren’t as good, but the tires
fall off, especially in the short track stuff.”
Just as Marcos Ambrose did in leaving a successful career in Australia to start over in
NASCAR, Pastrana is giving up a sure thing for
a new challenge, one he’s not afraid to take on.
“Coming to NASCAR, I have more to lose than
to gain as far as publicity or whatever,” he said.
“If I don’t succeed in this, that will be marked
more than anything [as] the guy that didn’t
make it in NASCAR.
“For me, it’s not about what other people
think, it’s not about doing stuff because of the
money or the fame or whatever. It’s been an
awesome ride, but I just want to challenge
myself.
“I want to go out there and I know it’s not
going to come quick and I know it’s not going to
come easy, but I want to win some races.”

‘What’s not to like?’: Danica Patrick embraces ups and down of scrutiny
At some point, nearly every high-profile driver
will say they’d like to get to a point where their
every move isn’t scrutinized by fans and the
media. But Danica Patrick, who seemingly has
had her every move documented from Day One at
Daytona, said she doesn’t mind the scrutiny. In
fact, she seems to relish the attention that comes
with being an attractive female driver in a maledominated sport.
“I enjoy being unique,” she said. “I enjoy it all. I
really do. I chose to look at the positives that come
with it instead of the negatives, but it is a balance.”
That was evident on Saturday in the
Nationwide Series race, where she started on the
pole but wrecked in mid-race and avoided the
cameras and reporters afterward.
“The ups are really good and the downs are sure
disappointing,” she said, adding that overall, all is
well.
“What’s not to like?” she said. “I’m followed well,
and I have lots of great fans, and I’m always so
grateful when people write nice things about me.
“I feel good. The people that don’t, I also respect
that perspective as well.”
One particular incident during Speedweeks
showed just how intensive the scrutiny is on
Patrick. After she wrecked in Thursday’ Gatorade
Duel, an in-car camera showed her taking her
hands off the steering wheel just before she
slammed into the wall, as she was taught to do in
IndyCar racing. But some wondered whether she
was covering her eyes just before impact, something that had she done might have been interpreted as a sign of weakness.
It was a question she seemed glad to answer, so
she could put the issue to rest.

NUMERICALLY

SPEAKING
Sprint Cup victories at
4Raceway
Phoenix International
by Jimmie Johnson,
top among all drivers
Different winners in
22
31 Sprint Cup races
at Phoenix International
Raceway

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet, stands on the grid prior to the start of Saturday’s Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD
300 at Daytona International Speedway. (NASCAR photo)
“I would be happy to clear that up,” she said. “In
Indy cars we learn to take the hands off the wheel
because … I’ve had plenty of times where I have
bruised my thumb, my bones, on the wheel. I was
trained to, when there is no saving it and no hope,
you let go. That is what I did.”
And she said she did not cover her eyes.
“I wasn’t covering my eyes, but yes I did close
them as I got to the wall,” she said. “I didn’t want
my eyes to pop out of my head.”
She also sounded like a NASCAR veteran when
answering a question with a phrase all too famil-

iar to those who follow the sport.
Asked about the pack racing and wrecking at
Daytona, she said: “It is what it is.”
Patrick’s meeting with the media last Thursday,
like lots of other similar sessions in the past, saw
questions about everything Danica, from her
strong handshake to her Twitter activity.
Throughout, she maintained the big smile, the
confident demeanor and showed courtesy to the
questioners, even pointing out how nice it was for
one to thank her for the answer even before she
delivered it.

Most laps led by a
262
Cup winner at
Phoenix (Dale Earnhardt Sr.,
who in 1990 passed polesitter Rusty Wallace, the only
other driver to lead that race,
on Lap 51 of 312)
Nationwide Series victo8International
ries at Phoenix
Raceway by Jack
Roush, top among car owners